Celebrating Local Heroes at the 2025 Volunteer Achievement Awards

Last Friday saw dozens of volunteers descend on the Strathmore Hotel in Morecambe for the Lancaster District CVS Volunteer Achievement Awards 2025, and a fantastic night was enjoyed by all.

The awards take place every two years and this year was the 20th anniversary of the very first ceremony all the way back in 2005. Over 100 people were either nominated or put forward to receive a special certificate of recognition, and the CVS team were honoured to welcome many of them to the event.

Shawn Duckers took home the award for Wellbeing Champion, the first time this award has appeared at the ceremony, for his work with the Bay Veterans Association. This new award was sponsored by Specialist Care Team, which is a local family-run care business.

The 2025 Trustee of the Year is Joe Sumsion, for his work with Lancashire Youth Challenge.

Another new award for 2025 was the Environment Hero award, sponsored by Lancaster & Morecambe College, won by Kathy Barton for her amazing work at Claver Hill Community Farm.

Fundraiser of the Year went to Emma Taylor for her work with Friends of the Roods, bringing in over £60,000 for a new children’s playground, and our Lifetime Achievement Award, this year sponsored by Lancaster University, was awarded to Katherine Bevington for her years of service to the Gregson Community Association.

This year’s winner of the Roger Sherlock Community Inspiration Award was Patricia Howard, whose tireless efforts running the Parkinson’s UK Lancaster group make such a difference to so many.

This year our independent panel couldn’t choose between Lydia Poole and Remy Harkensee, from Stanleys Community Centre and SAFE respectively, for Young Volunteer of the Year so they both won an award! The Young Volunteer of the Year award was sponsored by another local business, HSE Advice UK.

The 2025 Volunteer of the Year is Elzbieta Dobrowska from the Polish Saturday School, where she brings people together, uplifts the community, and brings joy to everyone!

Huge thank you to all of the volunteers who were nominated, all who were able to attend the event, and all who dedicate their time week in, week out, to make our communities better. Thank you to our Mayor, councillor Margaret Pattison, for presenting everyone with their certificates and trophies. And thank you, too, to all of our sponsors and supporters for helping us to celebrate some true local heroes!